Cottonwoods - has anyone climb this

HELLO TO ALL

Has anyone climbed a cottonwood, these are not the hugh mosters i hear about in the mid-us but still nice size trees.

what do i need to watch for, comments, concerns or ideas on the best way to get about the tree?

thanks and have a great day

OK so if i would have gone a few pages down I see where MOSS has asked this question and had gotten answers.

MAYBE - i'll look for another tree.

thanks all

Checking in from Portland, OR where I'm visiting this week.

Cottonwood is very climbable. It should be assessed like any other tree. Eastern Cottonwood gets quite large (and tall). I've seen them very healthy and I've seen them falling apart. again, like any tree, good assessment is required.
-moss

They aparently are hard to get an entry point to because the bark is so rought that it catches all the throw bags and they have to be rescued later. There is a report I think on the (TCC) other board about someone leaving 5 bags behind until the next rescue climb to get them. The other issue with those trees is they are brittle and some branches break easily. Stay on the LARGE Branches mostly

Jerseygirl,

I climb cottonwoods every few days. They are a lot of fun to climb.

I'll second the advice given above. Cottonwood branches can be brittle, so your anchor should not be placed too far out from the main trunkline. Find a nice solid crotch. Inspect closely for dead limbs.

Their natural history is to eventually fall over into creeks or streambeds. This helps maintain the vitality of riparian ecosystems. So avoid leaners, old, or decrepit looking trees. Their trunks are very susceptible to decay, so go through your tree/site inspection very carefully. (I hope you've gotten some training or taken the BTCC.)

Bark is very rough, with occasional shoots and suckers which steal throw bags. I've had to return months later to retrieve a few myself. Use a heavier bag and don't try to pull a throw back up and over with the bag still attached.

The eastern cottonwood has great architecture and usually some massive limbs - enjoy.

i have three to choose from all younger trees on good flat ground.

first is to ask permission as they are in the neighbors front yard.

i will let you know

thanks for sharing your knowledge

jz